Just a quick recap from yesterday watching the youth team. They are definitely trying to implement EmeryBall throughout the entire club. Trying to play out the back, but the young midfield really struggled from being pressed by Monterrey. Arsenal were really physical which basically played in the Liga MX team's hands because they ingrain diving at a very early age in Mexico. They also teach time wasting which started at about 30 minutes. Anytime they were touched they rolled around like little kids. It was really pissing off the Arsenal players.
Due to the lack of control in the midfield, the kids were very susceptible to the counter and Monterrey score all 3 of their goals on counter attacks. Technically, the Mexicans were much better ball handlers while the English kids were simply much stronger.
With about 10-15 minutes left, Harry Clarke had a really bad challenge that was a definitely straight red card right in front of the Monterrey bench and the entire Mexican bench rushed the field and started a giant shoving match/fight. Clarke was the only one sent off, but they really could have sent most the Monterrey bench off as they all rushed the pitch and started everything. Ref was some chick from New Zealand and she never had any control from the first whistle.
Loved that one kid from Arsenal was sitting their yelling "I play for Arsenal, who the **** are you". He then put on a dribbling clinic on the left side and embarrassed the Monterrey RB. Stanley Flaherty is now my favorite player. Other players that stood out were Sam Greenwood, Mark McGuinness and Folarin Balogun.
All in all, Arsenal struggled with the press and the technical ability of the Mexican side. They also struggled in the TX heat and looked gassed pretty quickly. Fun to see the young guns play. They were pretty happy/shocked to walk out to an Arsenal Supporter group and they came over after the match.